The Story Behind Teddy Outdoors
A Lifelong Outdoorsman, Almost Lost
I’ve always considered myself an outdoorsman — someone who truly loves fishing, hiking, and, more recently, hunting. But as I got older, life began to push that identity to the background. Responsibilities piled up — kids, work, commitments — and although I still managed to get outside more than most, it felt like my passion for nature was slipping into the background.
Excuses came easily:
“I can’t fit that in before work.”
“I’ve got no time.”
“Right after I finish my show.”
Sound familiar?
Losing Neverland: Life in the Fast Lane
As a husband, father of four, and business owner approaching my 40s, those excuses started to sound more like facts. I had forgotten just how deeply the outdoors filled my soul. Every now and then I’d catch a scent — freshly cut grass on a summer morning, or hear a distant honk of a goose overhead — and it would stir something in me. A forgotten joy. A calling.
I had nearly lost that part of myself. But one day, something remarkable happened — something that brought me back and rekindled a belief I had buried beneath the busyness of adult life.
The Day It All Changed: Father’s Day 2017
On Sunday, June 18th, 2017, I took my 4-year-old son fishing at Silver Lake Park in Staten Island, New York — our home, and also known as The Borough of Parks. This 209-acre park was once part of the city’s water supply system. Today, it's a hidden gem for local anglers.
We didn’t fish from the main bridge like most people. As any true local knows, the secret spots are past the “holes in the fence” — the off-limits spots that give you real access to the water’s edge.
As we snuck in and set up on the rocks, I began teaching my son how to cast. As expected, the line got tangled, and the knots came quickly. Still, we were having fun.
A Simple Moment That Changed Everything
Now I’ll admit: I’m not the world’s greatest fisherman. I love it, but I don’t always catch much. That day, I was worried my son might leave disappointed. But in the middle of all those unsuccessful casts, he turned to me and said:
“Thanks, Dad. This is so fun.”
That hit me like lightning. In that instant, I realized I wasn’t just teaching him to fish — I was passing down a love for the outdoors. A spark had been lit in him, just like it had in me years ago.
And then... he caught a fish.
It wasn’t big, but it was real — the tug, the pull, the thrill. That moment cemented something in both of us: a love for nature, fishing, and just being outside.

Nature Isn’t a Hobby — It’s a Way of Life
That Father’s Day changed everything for me. It reminded me that time outside isn’t just “nice to have.” It’s essential. Since then, our family has embraced the outdoors in all its forms — from early morning fishing trips to casual hikes and spontaneous “nature walks” just to catch frogs or hear the wind through the trees.
The outdoors brought me peace, clarity, and joy. And it gave my family something we didn’t even know we were missing: perspective.
The Birth of Teddy Outdoors
Inspired by this lifestyle — and by Theodore Roosevelt, one of the greatest champions of America's public lands — I founded Teddy Outdoors.
Together with my friends and business partners Bill and Marc, we started this company to share a simple mission:
Help people reconnect with nature — and rediscover a piece of themselves.
Whether it’s gear, stories, or simply motivation, we want to be your guide back to the outdoors. Because like I said: nature doesn’t just heal your soul. It reminds you who you are.
Ready to Reclaim the Outdoors?
If you’re tired of the noise, the screens, and the stress — you’re not alone.
Let’s unplug. Let’s breathe. Let’s get the hell outside.
And don’t forget your coffee.